It's safe to say that CM Punk has never been shy about voicing his opinions. It's a trait that's garnered him a lot of fans, and probably caused him more than a few setbacks. Nevertheless, Punk is Punk; he only knows one lifestyle, and that's being true to himself. If that means he steps on a few people's toes, so be it. By the end of last year, Punk had become quite vocal about his unhappiness in WWE -- mostly among his friends in the business, but word travels. He was tired of being passed over for opportunities despite his best efforts (and his talent), and that, combined with the fact that he never wanted to overstay his welcome or risk his health, led him to tell friends he was leaving WWE when his contract expired. Of course, he didn't last that long, giving Vince McMahon his notice just before Raw the night after the Royal Rumble. Despite being advised by big-name friends (namely, Steve Austin and Mick Foley) to return, finish out his contract, and leave on good terms (thereby retaining his merchandising royalties), Punk refused. Though his career ended abruptly, he did what he had to in order to preserve his peace of mind.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
